


A Little Bit Awkward

by MeganMoonlight



Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: Awkwardness, Feelings, First Dates, M/M, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganMoonlight/pseuds/MeganMoonlight
Summary: Emerson Kent finally managed to ask D.I. Joseph Chandler out for a drink. On a date. On an actual date.
Relationships: Joseph Chandler/Emerson Kent
Comments: 10
Kudos: 50
Collections: Small Fandoms Fest





	A Little Bit Awkward

He did it. 

He finally did it.

Emerson Kent finally managed to ask D.I. Joseph Chandler out for a drink. On a date. On an actual date. It took Chandler, Joe, a while to realize what Emerson had been trying to ask him, but they worked everything out eventually. 

They had to reschedule a few times, since their jobs got in the way of their personal lives more often than not, but after a while they did find a day that would work best for them both. Emerson couldn’t help smiling every time he thought about that.

“You’re awfully cheery today, you know,” Emerson heard Riley say when he sat down at the desk, putting down his mug next to the paperwork he was planning to finish. “You like writing reports that much?”

“He wants to woo the boss with his writing skills,” Mansell waggled his eyebrows as he said that, and Emerson felt himself blush at the comment, while Riley just snickered quietly.

“Piss off,” Emerson ran his hand down his face, hoping his cheeks were not as red as he thought they were.

“We’re just teasing.” Leaning back in her chair, Riley took a sip of coffee from her mug. “So, what are we doing tomorrow, boys?”

“I could go for a pint,” Mansell smirked at her. “But sadly, Kent already has plans.”

“Oh, does he?”

“Yes, he does. You see, tomorrow evening he’d finally get to do something he wanted to do since, well, forever, probably. Or rather, whom he wanted to do since forever.”

“Very funny, guys,” Emerson interrupted them, glancing in the direction of Joe’s office. The doors were closed, but he still worried that the other man would hear all the teasing. Emerson knew Joe was already more than a little bit nervous about people at work finding out about the development in their relationship, and Emerson didn’t want the man to feel even more uncomfortable.

“Can we just get back to work?” Emerson asked, taking a sip of tea, before opening the first folder from the pile he put on the desk. However, even as he tried to focus on the reports before him, with the corner of his eye he could see Mansell snickering, and Riley hitting him with a handful of papers she was holding.

The constant teasing and innuendos got annoying pretty quickly, but still, each remark was a reminder that tomorrow Emerson would finally, finally go out on a date with Joe. Just thinking about that made him feel, well, chipper.

When he and Joe left the pub the next day, walking side by side in silence, and Emerson watched the other man lick his lower lip, he felt even happier. It was ridiculous how happy he was, honestly. But Joe was clearly preoccupied with something, which made Emerson a little bit worried. Had he said or done something wrong earlier? Soon, however, he saw a small, gentle smile appear on Joe’s face, which lessened his worries a little bit. Maybe Joe needed some time to collect his thoughts, or something? Well, Emerson could give him time, certainly. 

The weather was nice. For the first time in two weeks it wasn’t raining, so Joe offered to walk him home, since Emerson didn’t live far. Emerson really appreciated that right then.

“I’m sorry,” Joe muttered after a while, and he said it so quietly, in such a dejected tone, that Emerson had no idea how to react. Maybe something had happened after all, and he hadn’t realized…

“What for?” Emerson looked at Joe, and only then did he notice the expression on the other man’s face.

“I know this evening was probably not what you hoped for,” Joe was looking forward the whole time, not at him, which Emerson had a hard time handling. “I tried to be… I was…”

“Don’t. Don’t do that, Sir, please,” Emerson reached out to take hold of Joe’s hand, but stopped himself in the last second. Would Joe feel comfortable with Emerson touching him right then? “I enjoyed myself. Why did you think I didn’t?”

“I’m not the most open person,” Joe answered, clearly trying to choose his words carefully. Joe did that a lot, it was how he usually approached things, Emerson had noticed, but it stung that the other man felt like he had to do that around Emerson, too. “All of this is… not something I do. I’m not good at it, and I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I won’t,” Emerson reassured him right away, still fighting the urge to squeeze Joe’s hand and comfort him. “I really won’t.”

Before Emerson even realized it, they were already standing in front of his place. 

Joe turned toward him, but still avoided looking him in the eyes.

“I had a lot of fun, Sir. I mean, Joe,” Emerson told the other man as he stepped closer to him, hoping that Joe would believe him. “I honestly did.”

That was when Joe finally looked at him. When their eyes met, Emerson felt like Joe was trying to figure something out, but he had no idea what it was exactly. The prolonging silence became a little bit awkward, and Emerson started feeling like maybe he should say something to break it, but then Joe reached out and gently took hold of one of his hands. Slightly cold fingers wrapped around Emerson’s own, and he realized that it was the first time they actually held hands.

“I… I had a good time as well,” Joe said, looking down at their hands. “Thank you, Emerson. For all of this.”

“Could we do that again sometime?” Emerson glanced at their fingers, too, and then up at Joe’s face once again.

“Would you like to? Even though…” 

“Yes. I would. I definitely would.”

Joe squeezed Emerson’s hand and for a second it looked like he got lost in thought again, but then he leaned forward, still cautious. His lips briefly touched the corner of Emerson’s own, and Emerson’s heart skipped a beat.

When Joe stepped back and Emerson opened his eyes (when did he even close them?), he exhaled slowly. Joe was standing so close to him, and it honestly made focusing on anything else almost impossible.

“Was that alright?” Joe asked and Emerson smiled reassuringly.

“More than alright.”

The corners of Joe’s lips rose slightly, and he squeezed Emerson’s hand once again. “I’ll see you on Monday, then?”

“Yes, of course,” Emerson nodded, and as he watched Joe walk away a few minutes later, he realized he was still smiling.

Monday couldn't come soon enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Round 27 of [Smallfandomfest](http://smallfandomfest.dreamwidth.org/) for the prompt: Whitechapel, Chandler/Kent - _"awkward."_
> 
> Enjoy!


End file.
